My Experience With VR

Carly Port

Prior to this class, I have had no experience with VR, so it’s safe to say that Wednesday’s lab section was extremely new and exciting for me. I had the opportunity to try out Google Cardboard, the HTC Vive and Holo Lens, all very different experiences. All my experiences thus far have been with wireless modes of virtual reality.

While trying on the Google Cardboard, I did not feel entirely immersed in the virtual reality space. I was utilizing the Discovery VR app for iPhones, and because the nature of the app is to display 360 videos, I felt as though I was just watching an up close video rather than experiencing it personally. I had less of a range of movement with a smaller visual screen, so the virtual reality aspect was not amplified in my experience. I experienced a man bungee jumping off a cliff, and although I had more viewpoints of his jump, I didn’t feel as though I was jumping with him. The smoothness of the head tracking was, in essence, not smooth. The quality of the graphics definitely dulled the experience, as it had to be designed for a mobile device. The sounds did not add to or take away from the experience.

The Holo Lens was a very interesting experience and served as my first run-in with mixed reality. At first, I observed my classmates struggling with the ability to select and maneuver within the device. I really enjoyed my experience with the Holo Lens. I found the 3D graphics very satisfying. It was slightly disorienting that I did not have a full spherical range of vision as you had to focus on a certain selected area, and otherwise the virtual aspect of the mixed reality was not apparent. The head tracking was very smooth and the resolution was smooth as well. As I said before, selecting options with the hand movements and creating the “bloom” did not come easily to me at first, but I got the hang of it eventually.

The HTC Vive was by far my favorite experience thus far. I enjoyed the fact that my entire body felt immersed in the space, utilizing my hands, my ears and my head in total. The sounds amplified my experience. Because I experienced Professor Pacheco’s imagined world, the graphics we added to the immersion were noticeably computer-generated (referring to the random cartoon elephant we decided to throw in), but the experience at large was truly awesome. I specifically enjoyed how the grids appeared while maneuvering around the space, creating a safe operating environment but still keeping the virtual world alive. It was my first experience with a totally full range of spherical movement and it was so neat to be immersed in this world. It was during my experience with the Vive that I noticed others feel slightly uncomfortable with the inability to know where you’re going. In this experience more than any of the others I felt more physically present. Within the HTC Vive story line, I absolutely felt I was being placed into a comic strip; it was a very odd sensation.

Overall, I didn’t feel entirely immersed in any story scheme, so it’s hard for me to point out which storytelling techniques worked or didn’t work. I know I need to get more hands on experience with the equipment to discover which scenarios I enjoy and work in a storytelling setting and which ones do not. I want to get to a point where I feel my body is physically present in a scene, and I am experiencing what the character is intended to experience.

In my observations of others, I did not notice any others feeling physically ill (phew). In experimenting with the equipment, I noticed a great deal of confusion among my classmates.

I look forward to not only experimenting more with the various gear, but also discovering more of the ethical implications of virtual reality. I want to be put into a scenario where I am uncomfortable, not just with VR at large, but an actual scene that takes me out of my comfort zone and scares me a little. I want to explore areas that come with contention from various parties. I want to see worlds that people are not ready or afraid to see. I look forward to finding out for myself all of the weird niches and interesting avenues virtual reality can expose.